Again and again, people come to the topic of nutrition, being interested in the whole range of products and their properties that affect the human body. In an effort to create an ideal diet for themselves, taking into account individual characteristics, they learn many new concepts. Today in this article we will talk about easily digestible carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are different
When it comes to carbohydrates, you need to clarify that they are divided into simple and complex. This separation is based on the rate of digestion and absorption into the blood, differences in structure and nutritional value.
Recently, various low-carb diets are gaining popularity , based on the fact that simple carbohydrates are excluded from the diet and complex ones are consumed in moderation. Therefore, there are lists and tables with simple carbohydrates, which indicate the corresponding products.
Difficult
First, let's talk about complex carbohydrates, as they usually cause fewer questions. They are called complex due to the fact that the digestive system is very difficult to break them down. Thus, complex carbohydrates are absorbed for a long time, while not increasing blood sugar levels. In addition, they provide a person with a feeling of satiety for 3-4 hours. As a rule, they include fiber, starch, glycogen and pectin. So they can be obtained from various cereals, vegetables and bread from wholemeal flour.
It is recommended that such products be included in your daily diet in combination with proteins. After all, it is useful and nutritious, and the most pleasant is that it does not negatively affect the figure. The controversial products in this category are potatoes and pasta. Despite the fact that they are classified as complex carbohydrates, still many diets prohibit them. Why?
The fact is that a lot decides the way of cooking. For example, if you make potatoes in their skins and eat them with other vegetables, then nothing bad will happen. But if you fry it or bake it in the oven with some fat sauce, then, of course, there can be no question of any weight loss. Macaroni is recommended to be slightly undercooked, cook, so to speak, al dente, and also not add oil.
Simple
But what about simple carbohydrates? They are also called fast, easily digestible carbohydrates. Things are different with them. Already on the basis of the name, we can say that they are quickly digested and broken down, and can also significantly increase blood sugar levels. At the same time, they almost do not saturate the body, because of which, very soon after eating something like this, supplements will certainly want. These include fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose and lactose. All of the above are natural sugars, which already speaks of their unsuitability for various diets.
Why are they getting fat from them? The fact is that foods with easily digestible carbohydrates help increase blood sugar and insulin production. Glucose is distributed throughout the body, but if there is too much of it, then it goes into body fat. This is how people who gain excessive weight with foods that are high in simple carbohydrates are overweight. So, let's take a closer look at what it is - easily digestible carbohydrates. A list of products containing them is given below. Let's talk about many other things.
Where are they kept?
As we have already found out, fast carbohydrates include sugars: glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose and maltose. There are lists of foods with digestible carbohydrates. They traditionally include various sweets, pastries and just flour products. The quantity decides a lot, because the sweeter the product, the more glucose or other sugar there is. And this, in turn, indicates an excess of simple carbohydrates.
Of course, it would be very difficult to make an absolutely complete list of foods with fast carbohydrates. After all, there are a great many of them. Moreover, such a giant list would be completely inconvenient to use. Therefore, you can simply be guided by the sweetness of the product and thus determine the number of carbohydrates.
Below is a table of foods containing digestible carbohydrates.
Product, 100 g | Carbohydrates |
Sugar | 99 g |
Honey | 82 g |
Sweet jam | 61 g |
Cakes and pastries | Depending on the ingredients |
Custard | 11 g |
Butter baking | 55 g |
White flour bakery products | 50 g |
Pancakes | 33 g |
Milk 3.5% | 5 g |
How do they affect the body?
What do fast carbohydrates do in our body? In fact, it is very important to monitor the amount of foods that are related to easily digestible carbohydrates. Abuse of them will lead to the accumulation of fat, not only under the skin, but also directly in the organs.
So, in the liver, this can lead to the development of hepatitis and other complications, which are very difficult to detect during their initiation. The pancreas, adrenal glands, intestines, stomach can also suffer. The high calorie content of these products does not yet become a guarantee of saturation. Their use can lead to a vicious cycle. First, a person eats (and in considerable quantities), feels full, then after a very short period of time, hunger appears and the body requires supplements.
It is also dangerous that sweets cause a strong dependence, and then it is very difficult to deny yourself them, even when the hunger feeling recedes. Unfortunately, easily absorbed carbohydrates are not of any special benefit to the body. Their only plus is fast saturation, which can be quite convenient in any extreme situations when you need to quickly reinforce your strength.
Glycemic index is our friend
If for whatever reason you decide to control the intake of simple carbohydrates, then you need to learn about such a thing as a "glycemic index" (GI). It indicates how this or that product will provoke a jump in blood sugar. The higher the glycemic index of the product, the more fast carbohydrates in it - natural sugars. This means that such a product can cause body fat, which is not good.
The GI of the sugar itself is 100 units. But there are products whose glycemic index is even higher than this indicator, for example, sweet corn flakes, boiled or baked potatoes. Foods with a low glycemic index are what you need for those who refuse easy-to-digest carbohydrates. After all, the less GI, the less sugar.
What are they eating with?
In order to begin to control the presence of fast carbohydrates in your diet, it is recommended to abandon sweets and pastries, in general, to minimize the consumption of products from the list of easily digestible carbohydrates. But periodically you can dilute the diet with various fruits and berries, cereals. Even a couple of sweets a day will not harm the figure. After all, if everyone knows the measure, then you can eat sweets, and lose kilograms.
How to reduce their consumption?
The power of each person to help his body. Reducing the intake of foods high in easily digestible carbohydrates will help the body clear itself of excess and put itself in order. Proper nutrition can help here. Of course, all this is impossible without any restrictions.
Firstly, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of sweet and starchy foods, as well as fried, smoked and too fatty - for this the body will say thanks again. Whenever possible, it is recommended that vegetables and fruits be consumed fresh, and the remaining products boiled or steamed, baked.
Instead of fast carbohydrates, you can pay attention to proteins and healthy fats, which are found in nuts and seeds, soy milk. You can try to slightly rebuild the time of meals and portion sizes, increasing the number of meals and reducing the amount of food. Of course, sports are not superfluous, at least exercises and daily walks. All this together will help the body normalize its work, and a pleasant bonus will be weight loss and toning the body.
What about diabetes?
Tracking the glycemic index of foods and their simple carbohydrate content is very important for diabetics. The previous paragraph may also be useful to them. After all, the exclusion of products with digestible carbohydrates is simply necessary for them. In this case, we can talk not only about sweets and pastries.
The fact is that there are vegetables that can harm people with high blood sugar. These include potatoes and carrots, in which there is a very high starch content, so they are recommended to be excluded from the daily menu altogether and consumed extremely rarely.
Boiled beets should also be discarded, because it contributes to a sharp jump in blood sugar, which is very dangerous for diabetics. Of course, sometimes vegetables, fruits, and sweets can be tolerated, but very rarely and in small quantities, as if in the form of exceptions. Self-control is the most important thing when observing a certain diet.
Athletes
Curious fact: fast carbohydrates, which are quite harmful for the figure, can be useful for training. It sounds a little paradoxical, but 20-30 grams of fast carbohydrates half an hour before a workout can help increase efficiency, which, in turn, will positively affect the results of strength training.
Thanks to carbohydrates, the muscles are as if saturated with energy, and the effectiveness of exercises is increased. Also, runners usually use the properties of simple carbohydrates, which are able to quickly saturate the body. Therefore, marathoners and skyrunners during long distances always have a snack with nuts and dried fruits, drink cola and isotonics.
Only one thing but - such a life hack is not suitable for those who are trying to lose weight through training. After all, it is still sugar. So losing weight should give up not only sweet, but also some tonic drinks with a high sugar content.
Carbohydrates and happiness
Many people avoid such articles and study the harm of sweets, because they consider it insignificant, insignificant. Recently, more and more often there are cases of addiction, as well as the habit of often eating sweet, starchy foods, overeating and not watching what exactly gets into your mouth - just to make it tasty.
Of course, when this happens infrequently, there is nothing wrong with that. Sugar really contribute to the surge of strength and energy, improve brain function, the production of hormones of happiness. It is only important to remember that this effect is short-lived. Another hour will pass, and all these sensations will disappear.
The trouble is that sugar is addictive. Sometimes people can experience real breakdown when they refuse it. So it’s worth learning to control yourself and your desires so that sugar does not get the better of us, learn to find happiness and positive emotions in something else.
So now you know all about easily digestible carbohydrates. The main thing is to use this knowledge correctly.